Wednesday, January 30, 2002

Here is how. See how 80-20 single-handedly forced a political TV ad that fanned the fear of "yellow peril" off the air in one day!

On 10/27/00, at 9 a.m. EDT, 80-20 became aware of a New York Times article reporting that a conservative wing of the Republican Party was airing a TV ad in small towns in the Midwest (i.e. avoiding areas with significant APA population), fanning "yellow peril" in order to get people to vote for Bush.

By noon, an 80-20 e-mail was sent to our 230,000 supporters urging them to phone, fax and/or e-mail the headquarters of the Bush campaign and The National Republican Committee (RNC) to demand that they "PULL that ad MMEDIATELY." That e-mail is shown below as Attachment (a).

S.B. Woo, representing 80-20's Steering Committee, called Jim Nicholson, Chairman of RNC, without reaching him. S.B. left a message urging Nicholson to get the TV ad off the air immediately or face 80-20's wrath.

At the same time , 80-20 also e-mailed a list of 350 mainstream and ethnic reporters urging them to make inquiries to Bush and RNC headquarters asking how GOP could tolerate such a "hate" ad? Many reporters made similar inquiries.

A huge number of faxes, phone calls and e-mails from 80-20's supporters went into the Bush camp and RNC on the same day. Some posted a copy to S.B.; a selected few are shown below as Attachment (b). Read to appreciate the emotion and courage of their contents! No other APA or mainstream organizations had askedfor the Bush campaign to pull the TV ad off the air, to our best knowledge.

One day later, on 10/28/00, the Republican Party announced that it has persuaded that particular Republican group to pull the TV ad off the air, explaining that the reason for the withdraw was "to not hurt Bush's campaign".

Note that the reason for pulling off the ad was NOT that it was wrong, but "to not hurt Bush's campaign". 80-20 understands how politicians think. See attachment (a) to satisfy yourself on how 80-20 went straight to what would "hurt Bush's campaign" ­ asking APAs to spread the word and vote against Bush in the contestedstates. That was what produced the result.

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NOTE TO READERS : This email is not intended as an indictment againstthe Republican Party. Both parties have acted against APAs in the past.This e-mail demonstrates how politics works when we are united. 80-20is non-partisan. The party that helps the APA community the mostwins 80-20's help.

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[Attachment a] 80-20's e-mail of 10/27/00 calling on its supporters to take action to stop the "Daisy" TV ad:

Subject: A TV ad that'll bring on more W.H. Lee cases

The conservative wing of the Republican party is playing the"yellow terror" card again? It was the same type of fear-mongeringthat led to racial profiling and the Wen Ho Lee case. YOU MUST READ thefollowing New York Times article:

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"Infamous Political Commercial Is Turned on Gore"

By Leslie Wayn October 27, 2000

A remake of the "Daisy" commercial -- perhaps the most infamous of all political attack advertisements -- is being shown in several states today, but the target this time is Vice President Al Gore, not Barry Goldwater. The commercial contends that because the Clinton-Gore adminis tration "sold" the nation's security "to Communist Red China in exchange for campaign contributions," China has "the ability to threaten our homes with long-range nuclear warheads." It then shows a girl, counting down as she plucks daisy petals. Her counting is then replaced by a countdown of a missile, which is followed by a nuclear bomb explosion. "Don't take a chance. Please vote Republican," then appears on the screen.

The commercial is a copy of one that was made for President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The commercial created such a furor -- with its tacit suggestion that Mr. Goldwater's views were so extreme that they would lead to nuclear annihilation -- that IT WAS WITHDRAWN AFTER APPEARING ONLY ONCE. But it has been remembered for decades.

A Texas-based nonprofit organization, Aretino Industries, paid for the new commercial, which will run in several closely contested states, includingOhio, Michigan, Missouri, & Pennsylvania. Carey Cramer, a spokesman for the organization, in McAllen, Tex., declined to identify any of its members or the source of its money. ...

In politics, most people believe in "Don't get mad, GET EVEN." Those of you in contested states** should immediately tell the Bush camp that you are WITCHING FROM BUSH TO GORE and telling all your friends and relatives to switch.

Monday, January 21, 2002

New York State Governor George E. Pataki talked about 14 heroesin his January 9, "2002 State of the State Address." Two of the 14heroes were APAs, when our population in NY is only 6%. See: http://www.state.ny.us/sos2002text.html

Being conspicuous in patriotism is the APA image that 80-20 wants tohelp convey to the mainstream society. That is the best way to erasethe "perpetual foreigners" image.

80-20 spread it to the APA community and pushed it to the main- streammedia. N.Y. Times followed up and did an article entitled "ZHE ZENG-- Completely Selfless Person." Now Governor Pataki has pickedup the same theme.

That is how the image of a person or a community is changed.

Here is what Gov. Pataki said about Zhe Zack Zeng.

"Zack Zeng -- a 29-year-old employee at the Bank of New York-- emigrated to America from mainland China as a teenager. He worked his way through the University of Rochester, built a promising career in business and became an EMT to help his neighbors. He was living the American Dream.

Zack wasn't at the World Trade Center on the morning of September11th. But he knew that his emergency training could save lives. So he rantoward the danger and confusion. He was last seen on television caringfor others. He died an American hero."

Gov. Pataki also featured police office David Lim.

"Thanks to Port Authority Police Officer David Lim, hundreds of peoplewho were trapped in a smoky stairwell are alive today. By urging them tocontinue downward rather than switching stairwells, he led them to safety just moments before the North Tower collapsed. He was trapped in the rubble for nearly five hours before being rescued. "

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"We are joined today by these heroes and the family members ofthose who died. Zack Zeng's mother is proud that we are honoring her son. Unfortunately, she couldn't be here. But we are joined by Anne and Michael Angelini. I know that nothing any of us say can ease your pain. Your loss, the loss of one father, one son, two heroes, was a tragedy no one should have to suffer. But I hope this day reminds you that this state and this nation continue to stand beside you during this difficult chapter of your lives."

Communication is power. 80-20 has 375,000 APA individuals and householdson its e-mail list. That's why 80-20 succeeds in most of the projectsit promotes.

Saturday, January 12, 2002

In 1996, when the Campaign Finance Scandal, referred to as "The Asian Gate"by the N.Y. times, was producing an article a day portraying Asian Americansas corrupting the American political system,

In 1999, when Cox Committee Report fanned suspicions of Chinese Americansby charging that China had stolen U.S. secrets that helped it to miniaturizednuclear weapons for use in intercontinental missiles,

In 1999 to 2000, when Wen Ho Lee was accused as a spy, convicted by thepress, without the due process of law,

In 2001, when a formal survey sponsored by The Committee of 100, and doneby a well-known polling firm, revealed that a large fraction of our fellowAmericans doubted our loyalty to America, and

In 2001, when our plane collided with a Chinese plane near Hainan island,and anti-Chinese-government sentiments surfaced as anti-APA sentiments.

During those days, did you worry for your children's future, your job,your ability to enjoy equal justice and equal opportunity in workplaces?

Did you wish that there would be a powerful APA political group to speakout for you and protect you?

Did you intellectually understand that such an organization would haveto be painstakingly put together over a period of time?

Did you intuitively understand that you would have to do your shareto help put together a powerful organization like that?